Pumping device for musical instruments.



T. P. BROWN.

PUMPING DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26, 1912.

' 1,160,214. v Patented June 16,1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE 1?. BROWN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SIMPLEX PLAYER ACTION 00., OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

PUMPING DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Application filed December 26, 1912. Serial No. 738,510.

17 b all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THEODORE P. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Torcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful. Pumping Device for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pneumatic operating means for musical instruments.

The principal object thereof is to provide an exceedingly simple and inexpensive means for resisting the torsional strain on the movable leaves of the bellows due to the usual connection of said movable leaves at one edge thereof with the pedals that operate them.

Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a pneumatic piano case with a preferred form of this invention; applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the pedal and bellows in end elevation; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of a modification of one part of the invention.

Referring first to Figs. 1, and 2, the invention is shown as applied to an ordinary type of pneumatic piano having the usual bellows comprising a fixed leaf 10 and a movable leaf 11. Two of these are shown and between them at the front are shown the two pedals 12 for operating them. For the purpose of supporting and connecting the pedals so as to permit their ready operation, and especially to facilitate the assemblage thereof, a pair of bearings 13 are secured to a fixed part of the casing preferably to brackets 14: which support the bellows at the bottom. These two bearings 13 are arranged in alinement and the pedal connecting member is composed of a pair of cylindrical ends 15 located in axial alinement with each other, and supported by these bearings. A pair of arms 16 extend from these ends laterally and a central portion 17 connected with them is parallel with the ends 15. This member 17 consists, if desired, of a single piece in which case the whole supporting member will comprise a single integral piece, but for convenience in assembling, I prefer to make the member 17 in two detachable parts. Each of these parts of the member 17 is simply cylindrical. They are connected by a larger tube 18 into the opposite ends of which the two parts of the member 17 extend, so as to form a telescoping joint. When the parts are assembled pins 19 are inserted to hold them in position. The two ends of the tube 18 can conveniently serve to engage against the ends of a set of bearing members 20 located at the lower ends of the pedals for the reception of the members 17, and it is through this construction that the pedals are pivoted on the members 17. The latter are provided with the usual feet 21.

For the purpose of operating the movable leaves of the bellows, links 22 are shown, one at the outer edge of each of the pedals connected with brackets 23 on the respective movable leaves 11. It will be understood, of course, that as these parts 22 and 23 are located at the sides of the bellows they will tend to turn the bellows on a substantially vertical axis. For the purpose of resisting the torsional strain thus produced, the following mechanism is shown: On the back of each movable leaf are bearings 25 which support a shaft 26. This shaft is provided with two legs 27 on the ends both beyond the edges of the movable leaf. These parts 26 and 27 may conveniently be in a single U-shaped piece. The ends of these legs are connected with a fixed part of the instrument preferably the fixed leaf 10. For this purpose, in Figs. 1 and 2 the fixed leaf is shown as provided with a pair of pivoted links 28, each pivotally connected with the end of one of the legs 27.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the fixed leaf is shown as provided with a pair of bearings 30 supporting a shaft 31 having two arms 32 projecting from its ends and provided at their ends with axially alined projections 33 for pivotal connection with the legs 27. Both arrangements are devised for the purpose of resisting the torsional strain above mentioned, and securing a perfect motion of the movable leaf of the bellows, that is, a

motion in which both sides move equally. In this way the tendency to distort the hinge at 35 is very materially reduced, and the repairs necessary to keep the bellows in order are also lessened, while the operation of the device is rendered more even, uniform, and effective.

Although I have illustrated and described relatively fixed part for resisting the toronly two embodiments of the invention, I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described, but

hat I do claim is 1. In a musical instrument the combination with a bellows having a movable leaf, of means connected with one edge of the movable leaf for operating it, and means connected to the movable leaf and to some sional strain due to the operation of the movable leaf by said operating means.

2. The combination with a bellows having a fixed and a movable leaf, and means for operating the movable leaf, of a member pivoted 011 the movable leaf and having arms at the two edges thereof and connected with the fixed leaf for resisting' the torsional strgin due to the operation of the movable lea 3. The combination with a bellows having a movableleaf, and means for operating the movable leaf, of a U-shaped member extendl ing across the movable leaf and pivoted thereon, the two legs thereof projecting beyond the edges of the movable leaf, and means for connecting the ends of said legs with a fixed part of the device.

4. The combination with a bellows having a movable leaf, and means for operating the movable leaf, of a U-shaped member extending across the movable leaf and pivoted thereon, the two legs thereof projecting beyond the edges of the movable leaf, and pivoted links connecting the ends of said legs with a fixed part of the device;

5. The combination with a bellows having a fixed and a movable leaf, and means for operating the movable leaf, of an oscillatable member extending across the movable leaf and pivoted thereon, and having two legs at its ends projecting beyond the edges of the movable leaf, and means for connecting the ends of said legs with the fixed leaf.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEODORE P. BROWN. Witnesses:

ALBERT E. FAY, O. FORREST WESSON,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

